South Mountain Superstar April 2008

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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april calendar

spring is here!

9

General PTA Meeting, 7:30pm, SM

21-25

School closed for Spring Recess

MAY 2

Teacher/Staff Appreciation Lunch

5-8

NJASK, 5th Grade

21

Kindergarten Orientation

21

General PTA Meeting, 7:30pm, SM

29

Art Show and Spring Concert

School hours:

in this issue:

including earth day on april 22nd

PAGE

@ Presidents

2

Column Library News Programming

# Principal’s

3

Full Sessions First Bell 8:40am

AM Kindergarten 8:40-11:30am

PM Kindergarten 12:30-3:15pm

Grades 1-5 8:40-3:15pm

4-hour Sessions First Bell 8:40am

AM Kindergarten 8:40-11:30am

PM Kindergarten 10:00-12:45pm

Grades 1-5 8:40-12:45pm

Message PTA Luncheon

$ Advertisement

% English Language Arts Audit

5 SM Merchandise 5 More Library News

SAVE our PLANET

Celebrate Earth Day

For those that haven’t signed up yet for the electronic PDF version of this newsletter, please do! Especially since this month, we celebrate Earth Day! Reduce your carbon count now and go green, baby!

Earth Day! April 22, 2008 Make the world a better place!

Please email: Rhonda Johnson rjohn74077@aol.com

to get on the green list!

box tops:

Please keep bringing

in those Box Tops!

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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happy spring!! presidents column Carlene Brumant & Sandi Brand PTA Co-Presidents

A special thanks to all of our families who joined us for Storytelling Night. The kids all looked very cozy in their PJ’s along with lots of blankets and stuffed animals ready for some great storytelling. Our Superstar teachers and parents did not disappoint them. Thank you to all of our readers.

library news

We hope everyone will join us for our General PTA meeting. We mentioned in a previous newsletter that this spring, the PTA will purchase new technology for our classrooms; which will include 5 Smart Boards. We realize that this technology may be new to some people, so Elissa Maelspina, Columbia High School Librarian, has offered to demonstrate exactly what these incredible learning tools can do for all of our children. We look forward to seeing everyone at this presentation, April 9th at 7:30pm. We will meet in the South Mountain School library.

battle of the books

Battle of the Books is reading incentive program for students in grades 3-5. Students read books and come together to demonstrate their abilities and test their knowledge of the books they have read. The competitions are similar in style to the Quiz Bowl tv program.

We also have lots of events coming up starting in the beginning of May. Of course, the success of these programs is only possible with your help. There are many different ways to help out and we appreciate any amount of time you can offer. If you would like to volunteer or become more involved, please feel free to contact anyone on the board. We would love to hear from you.

Students will be placed on a balanced team of 4-6 students from their class. In the “battle,” each team is asked ten different questions by the librarian. All questions relate to character, plot, events and setting. Points are awarded for the correct title and author. The team members confer before a spokesperson gives the answer. Team members take turns being spokesperson.

We wish everyone a very happy spring!!!!

Sandi & Carlene programming: for april 2008

by Lisa Nolet & Letitia Campbell

Thanks to all who volunteered to help out and to read at our Pajama Storytime in March. The evening has become a favorite Superstar community event. We want to extend a special thank you to our teachers who came out at night to read their favorite stories. It means so much to the students and parents, too.

Our next PTA meeting will be held April on April 16th at 7:30pm at South Mountain. A presentation of smart board technology as it can be used in the classroom will be followed by a discussion of technology in the classroom.

This should be an interesting and informative presentation.

16

Lisa Nolet & Letitia Campbell

Individual awards are earned by the number of books read by each student. All students reading at least three books will receive a certificate of participation and an eraser and will be part of the battle.

Students reading at least five titles will receive a certificate, and eraser and a pencil. Those reading at least eight books will get all of the above plus a notepad.✪

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www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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learning something new principal’s message

Save the Date!!!!!

Tom Gibbons, Principal

Parent-Teacher Appreciation Luncheon Friday May 2, 2008 11:30-1:20 pm

Smart Schools

What a concept! The term “Smart Schools” refers to up-todate technology in schools. South Orange & Maplewood School District will soon have access to fiber optic supported technology that will enable our schools to adopt “smart school” technologies. I am pleased to announce that South Mountain Elementary/Annex is ready to take the leap into 21st generation technology. We are planning three major purchases for the 2008-2009 school year, iPod Nano listening centers, Read and Write Out Loud computer assisted reading and writing technology, and Smart Boards to assist teachers with classroom instruction. The plan is to invest only in technologies that have the potential to significantly impact student achievement. In other words, we are trying to make smart decisions about to how to utilize smart technology.

The initial smart investment will include an infra-structural foundation that will be compatible with both existing and future network capabilities.

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Parents, teachers and staff are invited for a fabulous lunch provided by South Mountain Superstar Parents.

Volunteers for this wonderful event are needed!

Please contact Lisa Nolet or Letitia Campbell to help make this luncheon the best ever!

A P P R E C I AT I O N LU N C H E O N

The iPod Nano listening centers will replace the out-dated four track tape listening centers. They will allow staff to download books from online sources. The iPods will support instruction across the board in each classroom and support all levels of readers, especially those who could benefit listening to books. Since the iPods do not require network capability, they will be ordered and used this year to support students with reading.

The Read Out Loud and Write Out Loud software provides teachers with the ability to scan books into computers, have the stories back at a controlled rate of speed, and write stories that are dictated into a speaker and printed out on the monitor. Smart Boards allow teachers to enhance lessons by bring the World Wide Web into the classroom in strategic ways.

The rate of student engagement in their own education increases geometrically with the use of Smart Boards and smart technology. Thanks to several enthusiastic South Mountain teachers, the PTA, and the generosity of parents, South Mountain Elementary/Annex will start school in September with an abundance of smart technology in each classroom. I look forward to watching this exciting initiative grow over time.

Tom Gibbons

contact info: South Mountain PTA Executive Board Co-Presidents Carlene Brumant (973) 761-7764 Sandi Brand (973) 762-5333

Vice Presidents, Administration Rhonda Johnson (973) 762-2940 Sandy Sandoli

(973) 275-3856

Vice Presidents, Fundraising Maria Shapiro (973) 761-4779 Kara Erhamza (973) 313-2296

Vice Presidents, Programming Lisa Nolet (973) 761-7531 Letitia Campbell (973) 763-8014

Treasurers Jill Johnson Louise Finkelman

(973) 378-3441 (973) 378-2313

Corresponding Secretary Laura Reichgut (973) 763-6905

Recording Secretary Mercinth Pearce

(973) 762-6889

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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english language arts audit As part of our ongoing program assessment process, this school year our District has undertaken the audit of our K-12 English Language Arts program. Phi Delta Kappa, an outside objective and universally respected educational organization, will conduct the on site portion of the audit on April 7, 8, and 9.

If you wish to share your comments with the auditors via e-mail, please send an e-mail to elaaudit@somsd.k12.nj.us. ✪

Our expectation is that Phi Delta Kappa will provide our District with a blueprint for moving

Turnoff TV Turnoff is winding down, just two more months to go...

Keep up the great efforts!

South Mountain Merchandise Car Magnets $5.00 Water Bottles $3.00 South Mountain Tye-Dye T-shirts Youth XS,S,M,L

Adult S,M,L,XL South Mountain Tye-Dye Tank Tops Youth XS,S Adult South Mountain White Short Sleeve T-shirts Adult South Mountain White Long Sleeve T-shirts South Mountain Flannel Boxer Shorts Youth S,M,L

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apr 2008

forward with our K-12 English Language Arts program that is based on what the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards require, what best instructional practices in the teaching of English Language Arts demand, and what our students need and deserve.

You are invited to speak to the auditors and share what you perceive to be the strengths and/or concerns regarding our K-12 English Language Arts program. The auditors will be available to meet with you on Monday, April 7 any time between 3:30pm and 5:45pm and between 7:00pm and 9:00pm and on Tuesday, April 8 between 7:00pm and 9:00pm in the District Administration Building at 525 Academy Street, Maplewood.

04/08

superstar

$15.00 $15.00 $15.00 $ 5.00 $10.00 $12.00

Teacher Phone/email

Please make check payable to: South Mountain PTA

Send your payment to the PTA via your child’s backpack in an envelope marked T-shirts.

Questions?

Contact Kara Erhamza 313-2296 or Maria Shapiro 761-4779

more library news

Grade 4 will be starting their Battle of the Books in early April. Students will be reading books from a list of 8-10 pre-selected titles. All students will be borrowing a Battle book in addition to their regular library books. Information will be sent home with students when the program is introduced. Students will be provided with book lists, and the library has 10-15 copies of each title. Thanks to a SOMEF grant, the librarian was able to purchase several of the Battle titles in an audiobook version (either cassette or CD) for those students who would benefit from the audio format. You may also obtain audio versions of the Battle titles at some area public libraries, or there are online sources for some titles to be legally downloaded.

Please contact the librarian or your child’s teacher if you feel your child would benefit from the audio version of the book. ✪

ADVERTISE

for $2.00 you can place an AD. (business card, birthday wishes, etc.)

Size: 2.75" x 1.75" For larger sizes and display ADs, please inquire. Submissions by email only.

Electronic PDF version will be in color.

Printed version will be B&W.

classifieds: Advertising Policy Deadline: the 15th of the prior month when you wish your AD to appear. South Mtn Families ONLY.

credits: Design William Kochi KODE Associates, Inc.

Printing Mary Jo DeFranco Signal Graphics