Look in this space for news, notes and messages from the principal.  This will be updated regularly.

October 2008

Our fifth graders have come back from Camp Warwick where they had a wonderful time while they studied the environment, hiked, learned to use a compass and observed life in a stream. They also bonded through the campfire and the experience of living together.  Most impressive was the way that the students worked together and helped each other out as they served food and cleaned up after the meals.

Thanks to the PTO a new addition has been added onto our playground equipment.  It consists of a slide, a bridge and monkey bars.  The monkey bars are closer to the ground so that the younger children may play on them.

A letter was sent to all parents that outlined the Site Based Committee’s decision to have children celebrate birthdays with non-food treats.  This comes from a concern about nutrition, food allergies and the cleanliness of the school.  Parents have found that treats such as highlighters or pads have excited the children.

Some up and coming events include:

Halloween:  The Halloween parade will be held on October 31 at 2:00 p.m. on the Nature Trail (weather permitting).  Children may wear costumes without masks.  Children may carry any masks with them and wear them during the party in school.  Also, children may not bring any extra items that depict weapons (e.g. swords, guns, light sabers, pitchforks).  After the parade, children will go into their classrooms for their class parties.

November 3-7, 2008:  There will be no school during this week because of a district staff development day, Election Day and teachers’ convention.

Please click on the PTO tab to the left in order to see a complete schedule of events.

If you have a new telephone number or cell phone number, please let the office know so that our records can be updated and you can be contacted by the Blackboard Connect, reverse 911 calling system.  Also, if you decide to change the person designated to pick up your child, please call.

Previous Pages

September 8, 2008

After having had a wonderful opening, we are into our second week of school.  The children are in class and have been learning from the first moments.  Our teachers had come in early to ensure that the rooms were decorated and all of the material organized and available to the children.  The building is beautifully clean, with everything in working order. 

This summer brought about some staffing changes.

• Ms. Sponenberg is teaching kindergarten, having replaced Ms. Pisatowski who retired.
• Ms. DePalma will be here for six months, replacing Ms. Mayer who is on maternity leave.
• Ms. Picariello is the new fourth grade teacher.
• Ms. Pentimone has taken the fifth grade class.
• Ms. Gallipoli is teaching basic skills.
• Ms. Mordkoff will be teaching fourth grade Windows.
• Ms. Reichman will be teaching the fourth grade W.I.S.E. program
• We also have a new two hour aide in the office, Ms. Kristen Devries.  She will be in the office from 11:30 to 1:30 every day.

 

Packanack is now also the home to the Little Learners program, the new regular education preschool program.

Drop Off and Pick Up

Once again this year the door by the playground on Oakwood Drive will be open in the morning, with a door monitor to supervise the children as they come in.  Please do NOT park along Lake Drive in front of the door so as not to impede the flow of traffic for the drop off.

If children must cross the street in order to get into school please be sure that they cross by the crossing guards, and not in the middle of the block.

In the parking lot, only drop children off by the curb.  It is dangerous to drop children off in the middle of the lot.  Please be courteous to other parents waiting to drop off, after you let your child off, move away from the curb quickly so that the next car can come in.

All the schools in Wayne have new procedures for picking up children at the end of the day.  At Packanack there are several important points to consider:

• If you have indicated that you will pick up your child, you must pick him or her up at the door that is designated by the teacher for leaving.  The teacher will not allow any child, whose parent has chosen this option, to leave with anyone but the designated pick up person.  This means that the parent (or other pick up person) must park his/her car and wait at the door for the child to come out.  This option is appropriate for younger children.
• If you have chosen the option that your child may leave school unsupervised, you may pick your child up at the curb, in the playground or he/she may pick up a sibling in another class.  He/she may also be a walker.
• If your child takes the bus, he/she will be escorted to the bus.

 

Any changes in your dismissal plans must be in writing, addressed to the teacher.  Please indicate if the change is temporary or permanent.

For information on lunch or PTO projects and schedules please click on the links to the left.

 

September 2008

Welcome to the new school year!  While everyone was on vacation our custodial staff did a wonderful job of cleaning up and refreshing our building.  Our classes are fairly well set, with the letters being mailed out (bulk mail) on August 25th.  These letters will most likely arrive at your homes on Thursday or Friday.  Please note that all class assignments are final.  The teachers and I have worked hard to ensure that children are placed in the best possible classes.  We have taken individual personalities—both teachers and students—into account, interactions amongst students, balancing classes between boys and girls and ensuring that each class has a range of ability levels.

School begins on September 3rd.  From 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., on September 2 we will have the annual PTO sponsored Ice Cream Social on the playground blacktop.  Some other important dates in September are:

September 8       First PTO meeting of the year—7:30 p.m. at the Packanack Media Center

September 16     Open House grades K-2 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., grades 3 to 5 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

For a complete calendar of school and PTO events as well as a wealth of information, please click on the PTO link on the left side of this page.

For lunch menus and information, click on the Lunch Menu link.

Also on the left side of the page are the grade links.  Each grade has put together a list of suggested supplementary material that children may bring to school.  Any material that a child must have is supplied through district and school funds.

I am looking forward to a wonderful and exciting year.  One of our goals is to ensure that each child reaches his/her potential.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any concerns.