Sunday, February 26, 2017

February 26, 2017

District News:
  • The next regular Board of Education meeting will be on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at 6:30 pm in the Ridgway School library.  Click HERE to see the agenda.
  • More Bond Referendum projects are in progress.  Click HERE to see the updated Announcements webpage.  Click HERE to see pictures of the projects.
Magowan School News:
First through Fourth grade students were treated to a GO GREEN assembly on February 22nd!  Bill the presenter was amazing!  While effectively teaching students a great deal about our environment and ways we can recycle, he was incredibly entertaining.  His humor, antics and magic had students and staff captivated the entire time.  This assembly was made possible by the Township of Edgewater Park who sponsored the event.  Thank you Edgewater Park Township!!
  • Pre K report cards will be sent home with students on Friday, March 3rd.
  • We will celebrate READ ACROSS AMERICA day on Friday, March 3rd.  All parents are welcome to visit a classroom and read!  Please contact the classroom teacher.
  • Pre K and Kindergarten Round Up is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, March 8th and 9th.  
  • The PTO will sponsor the Spring Book Fair the week of March 13th.  There will be a family night on Wednesday, the 15th.  
  • March 27th and 28th are Spring picture days.  PreK, K and 1st on the 27th with 2nd, 3rd and 4th on the 28th.  
Ridgway School News:
  • Construction has begun!  Stay tuned for updates and watch as the transformation continues.
  • On 2/21/17, our 8th grade students had a wonderful trip up to Burlington City High School to see the new and impressive programs that they have to offer.  
  • On 2/22/17,Our 8th grade students were treated to a wonderful presentation by Mr. Joel Fabian.  Mr. Fabien is a 79 year-old child survivor of the Holocaust.  Mr. Fabian talked with our students and answered intriguing questions.  
  • On 2/23/17, our STEM club had an opportunity to visit Lockheed Martin and participate in “Young Engineers Week.”
  • On 2/24/17, the 7th and 8th grade “Sweetheart Dance” will be held in the RMS cafe.
  • On 3/1/17, please come and join us for the 6th grade Treasure Hunt.
  • On 3/6/17, BCIT will be at RMS to administer their entrance exam.  If you haven’t applied yet and would like to test at RMS please have your application processed by 3/2/17 with Mrs. Mckone.  
  • On 3/15/17, RMS will be competing in the Teen Arts Festival.
  • On 3/28/17, RMS will begin the administration of the PARCC.
Corner of Curriculum & Instruction:
The Edgewater Park School District began implementing a new phonics-based program called Fundations® in September 2016 for all students in Preschool and Kindergarten.  In addition to using Fundations in Preschool and Kindergarten, Fundations®  has been studied as a beneficial intervention in first and second grades.  Below is an overview of the program.

Overview

Fundations® is a multisensory and systematic phonics, spelling, and handwriting program that benefits all PreK-3 students.  Fundations is designed as a whole-class, general education program used for prevention.  Fundations is informed by an extensive research base and following principles of instruction demonstrating success for a wide variety of learners, key features include:

  • Thoroughly teaches the foundational skills, and significantly supports the reading, writing, and language standards, found in states’ rigorous college- and career-ready standards and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
  • Presents the following concepts and skills in a cumulative manner from Unit to Unit and year to year:  
    • Letter formation
    • Phonological and phonemic awareness
    • Sound mastery
    • Phonics, word study, and advanced word study
    • Irregular (trick) word instruction
    • Vocabulary
    • Fluency
    • Comprehension strategies
    • Written composition (spelling and handwriting)
  • Integrates skill instruction so that a daily lesson teaches and then reinforces corresponding skills.
  • Scaffolds learning while teaching all skills explicitly, sequentially, and systematically.
  • Actively engages students in learning through the use of multisensory techniques, such as when teaching students sounds, their representative letters, and words with spelling options.
  • Provides multiple opportunities for skills practice and application to build mastery.
  • Monitors student learning through formative assessment tools built into the program.
  • Includes comprehensive and teacher-friendly materials to facilitate teachers’ use of the program and promote student motivation.
  • Guides teachers on how to meet individual student needs by differentiating instruction.

We are excited to announce, in September 2017 Fundations programming will also become part of First Grade Curriculum.  
PTO News:
  • The next PTO Meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 8th, at 6:30 in the Ridgway Library.  We look forward to seeing you there and hearing your ideas.  We have events we would like to start planning and need all the help we can get.  
  • Board Positions are available for the 2017-18 School Year.  If you are interested in running for a position please email us at edgewaterparkpto@gmail.com or let us know at the next meeting.  
  • Square One art catalogs will be going home soon.  Be on the lookout for your child's wonderful artwork that you can order on mugs, keychains, ornaments, tile, aprons, etc.  
  • Magowan Book fair will run the week of March 13th-19th.  Our Family Night will be held on Wednesday, March 15th from 5:00pm-8:00pm.  We are in need of volunteers for this event.  If you are interested in volunteering either during the daytime hours or during family night please email edgewaterparkpto@gmail.com.
  • Thank you to everyone who submitted Box Tops!  We will contact the winning class once the total is finalized.  Keep collecting!