Cliffwood School Parent Newsletter
August 2016
Principal's News
I am very excited to be rejoining the Cliffwood School family for the 2016-2017 school year! I had a great experience in May/June and look forward to continuing to work with Cliffwood's students, families, staff, and surrounding community. I am confident that, by working together, we can take our learners and Cliffwood School to new heights!
I feel strongly that communication among teachers, staff, students, and families is key; learning happens best when the home-school connection is a strong one. To that end, I am starting a monthly principal newsletter which I will be emailing to all parents. I will use my newsletter to share important info, highlight upcoming events, and celebrate the awesome work happening here at Cliffwood.
Please don't hesitate to contact me via phone or email with any ideas, questions, etc. Or you can make an appointment to meet in person. September is coming quickly so let's get ready for a great 16-17 school year! WE'RE CLIFFWOOD PROUD!
Sincerely,
Mark Van Horn, Interim Principal
Back to School Night
Kindergarten Orientation
G&T Orientation
New Kindergarten Readiness Program Starts Soon!
I am pleased to announce that Cliffwood School will be offering a new Title 1 Kindergarten Readiness Program for our newest learners. This program is designed for rising K students to support their successful transition into our school. Students will work together with two Cliffwood Kindergarten teachers to learn daily routines and participate in activities to foster good school habits, social development, and appropriate behavior. The program will also help reduce anxiety and build confidence for children entering into a new school environment. Students who have not attended any preschool are especially encouraged to participate in this program if possible. Please note that registration for this program is limited to a maximum of 24 students and we only have a few seats left!. Registrations will be honored in the order in which they are received. The program will run from Monday, August 22 through Thursday, August 25 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM each day. Students should bring one light snack each day. Please make sure the snack does not contain peanuts to ensure the safety of our students with allergies. There is no cost for this program. Please note that transportation will not be provided. You may also call the school at 732-705-5600 or email Mrs. Wustrow at cwustrow@marsd.org with any questions.
Online Gradebook For Parents This Year
For the 16-17 school year, the parent portal will also include the Realtime Gradebook which is maintained by each teacher. The gradebook shows your child’s current academic progress in all classes throughout the year. As parents will have constant access to their child’s academic progress (tests, quizzes, class work, homework, etc.), as well as a current overall grade for each course, the district will be eliminating progress reports for students in grades K-5 beginning with the 2016-2017 school year.
Please note that teachers are collecting grades daily but the portal gradebook will be updated once every 5 days at a minimum. As always, should you have any questions/concerns about your child’s progress, please contact the teacher directly. For Kindergarten learners, grading is more focused on daily class work versus formal assessments (tests, quizzes, projects). Therefore, the K gradebook in the portal will be updated once every 10 days minimally. Also, K grades may not be shown in the portal until early October.
Cliffwood Welcomes New Staff!
Mrs. Anderson, Kindergarten teacher
Mrs. White, Grade 1 teacher
Ms. Svenson, Grade 2 teacher
Mr. O'Brien, Grade 2 teacher
Mr. Fallon, Social worker
Mr. Malone, Music teacher
Mrs. Molinari, Speech therapist
Key Testing Dates for 16-17
Please mark your calendars for these important testing dates below:
PARCC testing dates for Spring 2017 (grade 3 only): ELA testing April 20, 21, 24 and Math testing April 27, 28 and May 1, 2.
STAR Reading/Math testing dates: September 12-23, January 9-20, May 8-19. These dates are only testing "windows" and your child's teacher will share specific test dates for each class during the year.
CogAT testing (grade 2 only): March 14-16.
Contact Me
Email: mvanhorn@marsd.org
Website: www.marsd.org
Location: Cliffwood Avenue Elementary School, Aberdeen Township, NJ, United States
Phone: (732) 705-5600