South Mountain Superstar May 2008

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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may calendar 2

thank you! teacher

5-8 14 20-21

Teacher/Staff Appreciation Lunch NJASK, 5th Grade PTA Executive Meeting, SM 7pm Kindergarten Orientation

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General PTA Meeting, 7:30 SM

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Art Show and Spring Concert

30

School Spirit Day

School hours:

in this issue:

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@ Presidents

appreciation day

Column Library News

# Principal’s

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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 Contact Info

$ Advertisement

% Programming 5 TV Turnoff 5 SM Merchandise 5 More Library News

may 6th

SAVE our PLANET

Celebrate!

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

Please email:

Rhonda Johnson rjohn74077@aol.com

to get on the green team!

Teacher Appreciation Week May 4-10, 2008 Great Teachers Make Great Public Schools! www.nea.org/teacherday

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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

We hope that everyone had an enjoyable Spring Break. It’s hard to believe that we’re close to finishing another great year at South Mountain. However, before we let you go, there are still some fun activities left. Our tradition of School Spirit Day will be packed with lots of fun; so be sure to have your child wear their school pride in blue and gold! School Spirit Day is planned for May 30th. May also marks our annual Art Show and Spring Concert which are scheduled for the 29th.

May

library news

Our general PTA meeting will be held on May 21st.

At this meeting we will vote on the slate of new PTA Board Officers for the 2008-09 school year.

Nominations can be made from the floor. Please remember that in order to participate in the process, you need to be a member of the PTA (dues paid). Also at this meeting, Mr. Kirk Smith, Principal of South Orange Middle School, will be on hand to give us some insight to the middle school years. We encourage you to come out and hear what is expected of our children as they enter middle school.

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battle of the books

Grade 3 recently completed their first Battle of the Books Competition. More than 85 percent of the third grade read the minimum of three books needed to be able to participate in the competition. Congrats to the team from Mrs Silverlieb’s class (Ella T., Daniel D., GIllian B., Jacob K., and Sophia A.) - who represented their class well in the grade-wide competition held on April 11.

Finally, a great big thank you goes out to all who helped make the Parent/Teacher Luncheon fabulous! This again proves how important volunteering can be to the success of any event.

If you haven’t been able to volunteer yet this year, it’s not too late! We hope you enjoy these last weeks of school, and continue to support our school community.

Sandi & Carlene

Grade 4 is about halfway through their Battle program period, and their class-wide and grade-wide battles will be held in late May.

Grade 5 students were introduced to the Battle of the Books program after Spring Break. More information about the Grade 5 program will be sent home when it is introduced.✪

notable thanks to troop

1126

Thank you to the Fourth Grade Girl Scout Troop 1126 for the cherry tree, azaleas bushes and pansies they donated and planted in front of the school in celebration of Earth Day!

Reminder that all library materials must be turned in by Friday, June 6, so the library can complete an inventory of library materials. Report cards will be held for students with unpaid library fines and unreturned materials. Please have your child return their materials promptly so others may use the library's resources.

@

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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student balance = achievement principal’s message

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Look for the Directory Opt Out/Change Form coming in the backpacks in May.

Tom Gibbons, Principal

Opt-Out if you don’t want your information in the directory

CLASS FORMATION TIME IS HERE

Update if you need to change your information (phone, email)

To All South Mountain Parents and/or Guardians,

The goal in forming homeroom classes for each successive school year is to have a heterogeneous balance of students in each homeroom. Research suggests that a balanced mix of students maximizes student achievement.

Tired of backpack flyers? You can also sign up for the “electronic backpack” to retrieve the district/township flyers from the website! (You will still receive PTA flyers and event flyers from the school.) Sign up to receive the electronic newsletter also!

Look for the sign-up form coming in May!

To organize the process and include input from parents, I will accept written parent input, via email or snail mail, between the dates of May 1, 2008 and May 15, 2008. Parents are encouraged to inform me of any factors or concerns that you feel need to be considered by me and teaching staff when forming classes. Every effort will be made to honor parents concerns. Please do not request teachers by name, as teacher grade level assignments for next year have not yet been established.

After May 15, 2008, classes will be formed based the best educational practices associated with heterogeneous grouping, and taking written parent input into account. Parent input received after May 15, 2008 will not be considered.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this process.

Sincerely,

Tom Gibbons

Thomas J. Gibbons, Principal

box tops:

Please keep bringing in those Box Tops!

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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hair

05/08

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color

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$

m a k e u pZOKUSALON.COM

Zina’s Handmade Treasures

Great gifts, or treat yourself!

Baby blankets,

baby sweaters Children’s sweaters and ponchos Adult ponchos,

scarves, and shawls

17 UNION PLACE SUMMIT, NJ 07901 ( 908 ) 273 . ZOKU ( 9658 )

www.pureavs.com

audio

see what you’re missing.

video

CS M ART

If interested in purchasing a treasure

or two, please contact Mrs. Schaefer-Gelo

(Second Grade Teacher)

or email her at: gschaefe@somsd.k12.nj.us

Miriam Belov, mat, rmt miriam@wellnessagenda.com 973.762.6962

home theater

formerly hi-def.

Everything is handmade by Mrs. Schaefer-Gelo’s mother.

The Wellness Agenda

www.wellnessagenda.com 201.259.8426

&

mind – body – health – fitness

F RAM E

161 SPRING STREET MILLBURN, NJ 07041 • 201 - 486 - 5899 • CARYN@CSM - ART.COM

&

PA I N T I N G S P R I N TS POS T E R S L I T HO G RA PH S COL L EG E A N T I Q U E P R I N TS P H OTO G RA PH Y S C U LT U R E Ł M I RRO R S

C U S TO M F RA M I NG CO R PO RAT E RE S I D E N T IA L CO N S U LT I N G ART PLAC E M E N T I N S TA L LAT I O N S M U RA L S ART ACC E S S O RI E S AP P RA I SA L S

SHOWROOM BY APPOINTMENT • ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES WITH ART

Reiki Master/Healing Stress Relaxation Consultant Lecturer Author Media Work

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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programming Programming is very busy this month and as always volunteers are needed and welcomed to make these events successful!

May 2- Teacher Appreciation Luncheon- Parents were invited to share delicious lunch prepared by South Mountain parents—always a very special event

May 21st 7:30 PTA meeting Mr Smith, principal of SOMS comes to talk to parents about what their children can expect at South Orange Middle School

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may 2008 and fun races. Chair person needed to help Mr. K. and Mr M. organize this annual event

If you are interested in helping or chairing one of these events, please contact us!!

Lisa Nolet pesimach@aol.com

Letitia Campbell lrcampbell@yahoo.com ✪

more library news

Read to Succeed Participants should be receiving their Six Flags tickets in the mail by Saturday, May 9. If you do not receive your tickets by May 15, please let Mrs. Ng know. This year, 120 tickets were earned by our South Mountain Superstars.

Lisa Nolet & Letitia Campbell

Tickets are only valid from June 19 - August 10, 2008, at participating parks (listed on the ticket). ✪

May 29th Art Show and Concert Parents needed to prepare art work for art show in weeks prior to the show- chairperson needed!!

Turnoff

Our Annual TV TurnOff Ultimate Challenge is winding down.

Just one more month to go!

Completion forms will be sent home in late May, asking families to sign off that their child completed the challenge.

Please return forms by the deadline (on the form) so your child may be rewarded for his/her efforts.

May 30th School Spirit Day Come out and cheer on our superstars as they make their way through relays, tug of war

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

Name

$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

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