CLIFTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS School Nine 25 Brighton Road Clifton, New Jersey (973) Superintendent of Schools

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1 CLIFTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS School Nine 25 Brighton Road Clifton, New Jersey (973) Richard Tardalo Superintendent of Schools Michele DeVita Principal November 2017 Dear Parents and Guardians, October was a busy month integrating the themes of being Drug Free, Bully Free and Violence Free. Teachers and Mrs. Smith discussed and instructed students in the classrooms. Students visited the Fire and Police Departments, poster contests were entered and the theme was reinforced with actors presenting a bullying program entitled The Mystery Surprise. November crept up quickly and Report Cards will be coming home on November 22nd. Please continue to support the efforts of your children and the teachers by keeping the lines of communication open and instilling a positive can do attitude. Your cooperation with the rigorous demands on the students and the teachers make all the difference in promoting good work habits and success now, and in the school years ahead. I am pleased to announce that the Annual Giving Tree Project will begin soon to continue our service to members of the community. Keep your eyes open for the flyers that will be coming home soon! It is once again the time to remember to give thanks for all the good things we have in life. As we enjoy our family, friends and School Nine Community, the staff wishes you and yours a healthy and grateful Thanksgiving time. Sincerely, Michele De Vita Michele De Vita School Nine Principal

2 Tricky Tray (donations, volunteers, prizes, decorations) If you could spare a few hours at your convenience, please let us know by writing to: school9pto@gmail.com. See you at the next PTO meeting! Phaedra Cress and Danielle Hamilton PTO Co Presidents

3 Understand the four reasons teachers assign homework Understanding the goal behind a homework assignment can make the assignment more rewarding for students and parents. Teachers usually give homework for one of four reasons: 1. Preparation. Some assignments get your child ready for upcoming topics. If the teacher plans a lesson about the Civil War for instance, your child may be asked to read a chapter in her social studies textbook beforehand. Preparation homework typically requires reading or research. 2. Practice. Doing the same kind of work repeatedly writing spelling words or solving similar math problems reinforces your child s skills. This may sometimes seem tedious, but it works. 3. Demonstration. It s challenging for kids to use different skills to show what they ve learned. Projects such as preparing an oral report, building a model, writing a paper or putting on a play encourage creativity and let students demonstrate their understanding of concepts. 4. Extension. This type of work involves applying knowledge to a new situation. Your child might be asked to compare and contrast two historic events, do a science experiment or solve a real-life problem. Reprinted with permission from the November 2017 issue of Parents make the difference! (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright 2017 The Parent Institute, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.

4 Help your child make homework time effective Don t let your elementary schooler s homework cause headaches! To take the hassle out of homework: Make school the top priority. If your child can t finish all of his homework because of his piano lessons or soccer practice, there is a problem and it isn t the homework. Adjust his schedule so that schoolwork comes first. Don t do your child s work. Not only is it wrong to do his homework for him, it may make him feel dumb. Dad doesn t think I can handle my math homework. I must not be very good at math. Remember what it s all about. Homework helps your child practice what he s learning. His assignments and projects don t need to be perfect. Expect some frustration. Your child shouldn t melt down over every assignment, but a little homework-related complaining is normal. Take it in stride. Even cries of I hate school! will pass. Show interest. Don t hover while your child works, but let him know you care about what he s doing. If he s writing a history report, for example, show some enthusiasm. You sure know a lot about the Civil War. How fascinating! Expect your child to help himself. Encourage him to call a classmate if he has a question about an assignment. This shifts the responsibility away from you and onto him where it belongs. Reprinted with permission from the November 2017 issue of Parents make the difference! (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright 2017 The Parent Institute, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.

5 Experts share ways to reduce screen time The time kids spend staring at screens watching TV, playing video games, going online can affect their grades. As a matter of fact, research shows that kids who use these media the most tend to be the poorest readers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents of children ages six and older place consistent limits on the amount of time their kids spend with digital media. However, many kids say there are no rules about screen time in their homes. Experts advise parents to: Establish screen-free areas, such as in kids bedrooms. Designate screen-free times, such as during meals and while in the car. Offer alternatives. Go biking together. Play cards. Learn a new craft. Show your child that there are plenty of ways to have fun and engage her brain without sitting in front of a screen. Reprinted with permission from the November 2017 issue of Parents make the difference! (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright 2017 The Parent Institute, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc. Source: American Academy of Pediatrics Announces New Recommendations for Children s Media Use, American Academy of Pediatrics, niswc.com/elem_screens.

6 PTO Monthly Newsletter November 2017 Baby, it's cold outside! As we head into the holiday season, here's what's on the agenda from the School 9 PTO. An update is below. First & Fourth Fridays: Join us for this great new fundraiser on Friday, November 3 and Friday, November 17. See flyer/schedule for details. Only $1 to participate or $16 for all remaining Fridays during this school year. Winter Break is November Enjoy your time off and don't forget to keep the kids reading! Spirit Day is Monday, November 13 so wear your best bulldog spirit wear! Our next Dine for Nine takes place Tuesday, November 14 at Red Robin on Route 3. Come by 4pm 8pm and bring the flyer in hard copy form, please. Let us know if you need a copy. Next PTO meeting is Wednesday, November 15 at 7pm. 5th Grade Committee will meet afterwards. Please join us! Have you signed up for the REMIND app? It keeps you up to date with all PTO events. Download REMIND on your smartphone or laptop by opening this link in your browser: rmd.at/ptoev. Or, text the to the number to register. You ll receive alerts with messages, notifications, and reminders. We are still accepting class donations ($20 suggested) to cover the cost of class party and teacher gifts for the entire school year. Please send cash/check in made out to School 9 PTO in an envelope marked "Class Donation. Clothing Drive is being coordinated now for November, so start cleaning out your closets for old purses, clean stuffed animals, coats, shoes, etc. We'll keep you apprised on timing! Thank You. We'd like to thank Villa Roma Pizza, The Allwood Movie Theater, Clifton Martial Arts, Stella and Dot, and all School 9 parents for their generous donations that made Trunk or Treat a big success. We hope you all had as much fun as we did! We couldn't have done it without you! How Else Can You Get Involved? Have you signed up yet for Shoparoo, Amazon Smile (select School 9 as recipient), or Stop & Shop? These are all free and a percentage is returned to our school. Let us know if you have questions; details were included in the Back to School packet. Come chat with any PTO Executive Board Member at Drop-Off or Pick-Up. We ALWAYS want to hear your ideas, suggestions, and feedback about how we can improve! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We are looking for help, donations, and volunteers for the following upcoming events: Copy Committee

7 Tricky Tray (donations, volunteers, prizes, decorations) If you could spare a few hours at your convenience, please let us know by writing to: school9pto@gmail.com. See you at the next PTO meeting! Phaedra Cress and Danielle Hamilton PTO Co Presidents

8 November 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Dates to Remember 12/7 Math Night, Grades K-2 12/8 Holiday Show 10 AM 12/11 School Spirit Day 12/15 Kindergarten Breakfast with Santa 12/21 Enrichment Program A Christmas Carol 12/22 Early Dismissal at 1PM Grade 5 Campus Cleanup & Kindness Rocks Walk Election Day Schools Closed all week - READ every day! Record on the form that was sent home. If lost, print from the school website School Spirit Day Author Visit PM PTO Meeting Early dismissal Report Cards Distributed Schools Closed- Happy Thanksgiving Math Night Grades 3,4,&5 6:30PM -Report Card Conferences