Cliffwood School Parent Newsletter
November 2017
Principal's News
Dear Cliffwood School families,
Well, the Fall season is here. I love the crisp cool air, the colorful leaves, the non-stop football, and more. November is the time of my favorite time of the year, especially Thanksgiving. I love the time with family and friends and, of course, the delicious food. Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks for all that we have. As I reflect this year, I am grateful for many things, some of which involve Cliffwood School. I am thankful to work in such a great school and community. I am thankful for the awesome kids who fill Cliffwood's halls each day with their energy and smiles that brighten the whole building. I am thankful for the students' families who support our learners, especially the ones who spend so much time at our school's activities, working to make the kids' experiences the best they can be. I am thankful for Cliffwood's dedicated teachers and staff who guide our children's learning and work hard to help our students. I am thankful for the great school we have in which to learn and the people who work tirelessly to keep it in great shape. I am thankful for the resources we have, including the technology, books, materials, and good food to eat in our cafeteria each day. There are so many things to be thankful for this season. But I am especially thankful for the opportunity to serve as principal here at Cliffwood School. Each day that I come to school, I find another reason to be more CLIFFWOOD PROUD!
I hope that all of our students, their families, teachers and staff, and the whole Cliffwood community have a wonderful Fall season.
Sincerely,
Parent/teacher conferences are almost here!
Parent/teacher conferences will be held on Tuesday, 11/28 and Wednesday, 11/29. The 28th will be evening conferences and the 29th will be afternoon conferences. Both days are 1/2 days for students (1:20 dismissal).
This year, adults will use the parent portal to sign up for conference time slots. With the portal, parents can quickly and easily select their child’s teachers and choose a date and times for meeting. Parents can choose from the available slots on a first come, first served basis; once a slot is filled by a parent, other parents cannot choose that slot. The portal will open to choose conference slots starting on Wednesday, November 8. Please click here to view a letter with details and instructions for using the portal to sign up for conferences.
Please try your best to attend these conferences. These meetings are key for strengthening the home-school connection. Teachers will be prepared to discuss your child's academic progress and show examples of work and assessments. Parents can ask about strategies for home that will support their student's learning at school. Here are some ideas to make the conference more meaningful:
- Before the conference, review your child's grades online.
- Before the meeting, talk with your child about his/her progress in school.
- Make a list of questions beforehand to ask during the conference (e.g., Is my child performing at grade level? What do you see as his/her strengths? How could he/she improve?).
- Ask the teacher what you can do at home to help your child learn.
- Think about ways you would like to become involved in your child's learning and discuss with the teacher.
- Make a plan. Write down what you and the teacher will do (and how often) to support your child.
- Schedule the next time to talk with the teacher. Discuss the best way to communicate and set up a schedule to stay informed about your child's progress.
Tumblebooks is back at Cliffwood!
I'm excited to share that Tumblebooks is back for Cliffwood's students! Tumblebooks is a curated database of children’s e-books, available by subscription to elementary schools and public libraries around the world. Tumblebook's library has over 1,100 titles for students, and includes our unique animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, national geographic videos, non-fiction books, playlists, as well as books in Spanish and French. Plus, the collection features graphic novels – a student favorite! There are also Math stories! Books are organized by grade and also by reading level (if you are not aware of your child's reading level, please contact their teacher). Please take advantage of this great opportunity! All Cliffwood students/parents can use the link and username/password below.
Direct Link: http://www.tumblebooklibrary.com/Default.aspx
Username: cliffwood Password: reads
Correction to district calendar
Counselor's Corner
Cliffwood's PTO newsletter
Follow us on Twitter now!
Educators of the Year news
Cliffwood School is proud to announce that we will once again participate in the Department of Education's Educators of the Year Program. This program integrates the Teacher of the Year and the Educational Services Professional of the Year. Do you know a classroom teacher or educational services professional who is dedicated, inspiring, and making a difference? If so, please take the time to recommend this person for the Governor’s Educator of the Year Program!
Below you will find the supporting documents for participating in the program, including the Nomination Form and the program Eligibility Criteria. The nomination form is in MS Word format to make easier to download, type, and print. Please complete the nomination form and return it to the principal by Friday, December 8, 2017.
Click to download the Nomination Form.
Click to download the Eligibility Criteria.
Treats for Troops
Dates to Remember
- PTO morning meeting - 11/6.
- District closed - 11/9, 10, 23, 24.
- Marking period 1 ends - 11/14.
- Rain forest animals assembly for all students - 11/14.
- PTO meeting & Star Student - 11/14.
- 1/2 day for students only - 11/15.
- School store during lunches 11/16 and 11/17.
- PTO pizza bingo - 11/17.
- 1/2 day for students and staff - 11/22.
- 1/2 day for evening conferences - 11/28.
- 1/2 day for afternoon conferences - 11/29.
Contact Me
Email: mvanhorn@marsd.org
Website: http://marsd.org/Domain/465
Location: Cliffwood Avenue Elementary School, Aberdeen Township, NJ, United States
Phone: (732) 705-5600