South Mountain Superstar October 2008

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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october calendar 1

time for halloween trick or treat?

School Closed for Rosh Hashanah

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4 Hour Day - PTA Conferences

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4 Hour Day - PTA Conferences

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School Closed for Yom Kippur

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General PTA Meeting - 9am (Annex)

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PTA Fall Festival 1-4pm (SM)

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Picture Day

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Halloween Parade

School hours:

in this issue:

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Column Library News Principal’s Letter Parenting Center Programming Administration Contact Info Fundraising Adult School Info Annex Rules Advertisements Elementary Newsletter Adult Classes

SAVE our PLANET

Full Sessions First Bell 8:40am

AM Kindergarten 8:40-11:30am

PM Kindergarten 12:30-3:15pm

Full Day K-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

superstars

recycle

Sign up for the PDF version of this superstar! Reduce your carbon footprint!

Contact Sandi Sandoli at 275-3856 or by email: ssandoli@verizon.net

fall festival

October

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box tops: Please keep bringing in those Box Tops!

Yvette Holowczak ymholowczak@yahoo.com

Just a reminder to mark your calendar for the Fall Festival to be held on Saturday, October 18th from 1-4pm!

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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a big thanks!! presidents column Sandi Brand & Sylvia Cutler PTA Co-Presidents

We hope that everyone is enjoying this new school year so far.

It takes a tremendous amount of behind the scenes effort to ensure that our schools get off to a great start. A big thanks to Amy Forman and Sandy Sandoli who spent many hours to prepare the 1st day packets and also to Kara Erhamza and Letitia Campbell for a fabulous, well attended New Parent Coffee, Ice Cream Social and New Parent Reception which was followed by our PTA meeting. We were thrilled to see so many families at all of these events and it was really great to have a chance to get to know some of our new families and teachers.

library news

Our October meeting is coming up on the 15th of this month.

This month our meeting will be at 9am at the Annex. We hope that you will join us.

big thanks go out to:

We promise you will not want to miss out on any of the fun on October 18 at our Fall Festival behind South Mountain School.

It is truly a great family day filled with food, crafts, pony rides, a petting zoo and our own pumpkin patch.

Picture day is coming up on the 22nd, so schedule your haircuts and pick out that very important outfit. Please return your order packets in a timely manner so the day goes smoothly.

Our first Cultural Arts Performance will be on October 28th. All of our student’s will be treated to a performance by the Catskill Puppet Theatre. They are an incredibly talented theatre group and they will be bringing the show “Hiawatha” to South Mountain.

➼ The PTA for the new library shelving in both the South Mountain and Annex libraries. Thank you for the new librarystyle tables and chairs at South Mtn. ➼ To the parents who volunteered their time over the summer to rearrange the South Mountain Library. ➼ To Mr Gibbons for building a gorgeous fireplace/puppet theater for South Mountain library. If you did not see it during Back to School night, be sure to stop by during conferences, for a peek. ✪

The month will end with our colorful Halloween parade. The student’s creativity will be on full display and (if the past in any indication) our teachers will have awesome get-ups as well.

So, don’t forget your cameras and meet us at school for this fun afternoon.

We also ask you to join in our efforts as we continue to “go green”. We will once again offer our newsletter via email and this year you can receive all those district flyers by email. By signing up to be on our email list, not only betters our environment, but this will help us to greatly reduce our PTA printing fees.

Please contact Sandy Sandoli or Amy Forman for information.

As always, we welcome your help and input through out the year. We would love to hear from you!!

Sandi and Sylvia

TurnOff Our 5th Annual Ultimate TV TurnOff Challenge has begun. The program was explained to students during their library classes in late September, and those their choosing to participate should have forms turned in to the librarian by October 3.

Students choose to either forgo tv/video/ computer games during the school week totally from October - June or reduce the time spent in these activities.

Students sign up to participate in one of 3 levels: Gold (no tv/video games from Sunday evenings after dinner through Friday mornings before school); Silver (no more than 30 minutes a day) or Bronze (no more than 60 minutes a day).

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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I’m not ready to be a mother principal’s message

The Parenting Center and the Elementary School PTAs present:

The Case for Make Believe: Why Children Need to Play, Who’s Stopping Them, and What We Can Do About It October

Mom had operated a 42 bed residential health care facility for the previous fifteen years. I had taken a leave from teaching to help run the small family business for the last eight months of her life, while my brother and father took care of Mom.

A Talk by Dr. Susan Linn

I was not ready for what happened next when Mom passed; I assumed her role in the family business. I thought I was in charge. I actually tried to run the family business as a business, maximizing profit and minimizing expense. What a concept!

Mom never cared about money. She cared about family; she was a mother. She ran the business and the family as if they were one and the same. I soon realized I wasn’t ready to be a mother.

Dr. Linn is Associate Director of the Media Center at Judge Baker Children’s Center, Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Cofounder and Director of the coalition Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. She is the author of The Case for Make Believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World and Consuming Kids: The Hostile Takeover of Childhood.

As is true of mothers everywhere, Mom cared about her kids, her family. She gave from her heart. She had an uncompromising faithfulness to her role as a mother. She put her role before any form of compensation. She imparted a clear vision and value for education to her children.

As with most mothers, she struggled with that conflicted child within, the one that needed guidance and care. She fought to survive each day as a mother. That child became her teacher and she in turn taught her children. Mothers are our first and perhaps best teachers.

Twenty-five years later, I find that I have that same child within me. As a principal, I am a teacher, a role that can, at times, seem like being a mother. Teaching is heart work as well as hard work; it is uncompromising fidelity to children and families, it is much more than what any form of monetary compensation can reward, it is clear about the value of education and values in general. The job of a teacher is complicated. At times it seems impossible. Ask any mother. Ask any teacher. They will tell you the same things. They have the hardest jobs and yet, somehow the most rewarding jobs.

It takes nine months for a baby to arrive. It takes three years to get tenure. Raising and educating children are life long commitments—and so worth the struggle.

Tom Gibbons

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Tuesday, October 14th 7:30pm Clinton Elementary School Auditorium 27 Berkshire Road, Maplewood, NJ

The struggle within teaching, and in parenthood, is to be aware of the child within. That child who is present to us all, teaches us to embrace the struggle, open our hearts and minds, and to be our best, each day, for our children.

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the parenting center event

Tom Gibbons, Principal

Her final word, “Mother!” said it all. I had known her as mom all my life, I never realized until then, that she was also a child who struggled and needed her own mother. That same child which is in each one of us, and with whom we all struggle, was in her too.

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For more information contact Cecelia Cancellaro at ccancellaro@verizon.net

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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programming fall 2008 great times...

South Mountain PTA Executive Board Co-Presidents Sandi Brand (973) 762-5333 sandibrand@verizon.net Sylvia Cutler (973) 378-8286 sylcutler@aol.com

Vice Presidents, Administration Sandy Sandoli (973) 275-3856 ssandoli@verizon.net Amy Forman (973) 763-5669 amygarysamlily@aol.com

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Vice Presidents, Fundraising Maria Shapiro (973) 761-4779 mikespopworld@hotmail.com Laura Reichgut (973) 763-6905 Feissgut@yahoo.com

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Vice Presidents, Programming Letitia Campbell (973) 763-8014 letitia.campbell@yahoo.com Kara Erhamza (973) 313-2296 k_erhamza@mac.com

PROGRAMMING

Treasurers Louise Finkelman (973) 378-2313 LSF92@hotmail.com Debbie Granados (973) 761-5357 4granados@optonline.net

Looking forward to seeing you at these upcoming events,

Kara and Letitia

administration first day packet form winners!

Sandy Sandoli & Amy Forman PTA VPs of Administration

Thank you to everyone for completing and returning all the first day packet forms! Our lucky winners for the T-shirt raffle are:

Corresponding Secretary Leslie Rubenfeld (973) 313-0523 rubenfelds@aol.com

Recording Secretary Renee Leviton (973) 378-3810 reneekleviton@hotmail.com

Kindergarten: Joshua B.

1st grade: Sofia M.

2nd grade: Jake K.

3rd grade: Jake S-S.

4th grade: Kiara W.

5th grade: Jennifer K.

DIGITAL

We are working hard to complete the ADMINISTRATION directory and get the e-backpack and e-newsletter distribution up and running!

Sandy and Amy

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contact info:

First we’d like to start off by thanking everyone for attending the Annual Ice Cream Social. A special thank you to Maurice from Party Animals for bringing the music and to all of you who made this event run so smoothly!

October 2nd A great time was had by all!

General

PTA On October 15, we have our 2nd general Meeting PTA meeting at the Annex at 9am. We hope you’ll join us and Mr. Gibbons for a October Fall round table discussion about the school.

Festival Mark your calendars for Saturday, Oct. 18 for our Fall Festival. It will run from 1-4pm at the South Mountain playground area. We’ll have a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, pony rides, games, food, arts and crafts and much, much more! There are plenty of opportunities to be involved, especially for working parents.

Please contact Kara Erhamza at k_erhamza@mac.com if you’re interested in volunteering.

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SOUTH MOUNTAIN SUPERSTAR

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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fundraising

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oct 2008 Be on the lookout for the following fundraising events‌

What a way to start the year. The Book Fair was a big success. We could not have done it without the support of the South Mountain families. Special thanks to our co-chairs Celina Herrero, Leslie Pryor, Shana Teitelbaum, Jen Ratner, Lorry Ripley and all the volunteers. Enjoy the books!

Gift Wrap October 13

Coming in October is our Gift & Wrap fundraiser. This is the time of the year to stock up on all your holiday wrapping needs and gifts. This year Innsbrook has gone green. Take a look at the new designs and merchandise. fundraising events

Picture Day October 22

Get that smile ready. Picture Day is coming October 22nd.

Keep a look out for order forms.

Election Day Bake Sale November 4

If you do not wish to participate in the fundraisers provided by the South Mountain PTA you can always make a monetary donation for the year.

As always, thank you for your continued support.

Maria and Laura classes at the adult school Elementary and middle school students will benefit from classes on organizational skills being offered this fall by the Adult School.

Parents of elementary-age children will discover ways to guide their children with age appropriate ways to get to school on time, manage papers, complete homework, and use time effectively.

The class will run 7-8:30pm on Thursday, Oct. 16 at South Orange Middle School. The fee is $20.

Durand-Hedden House Where History Comes Alive October 19 1-4pm

523 Ridgewood Road

Maplewood, NJ

(973) 763-7712

For middle schoolers, organization requires commitment from both students and parents. This two-part class will focus on materials, time and tasks. Parents will attend Tuesday, Oct. 14; while Tuesday, Oct. 21 is for teens only. The classes will run 7-8:30pm at South Orange Middle School. The fee is $40.

Archaeology in New Jersey: Why, How, Who?

organize

The classes are taught by Diane Thomson, founder of Creative Organizing.

Register by calling the Adult School at (973) 378-7620 or online: www.somadultschool.org

Principal Archaeologist Ian C. Burrow explains how the regulations and laws in NJ ensure that the prehistory and history of our state are recorded and studied, even in the face of development. He will focus on recent discoveries and will illustrate his lecture with slide and artifacts – including some from the Durand-Hedden property.

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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attention south mountain annex parents

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PIANO for YOU

RULES FOR THE DROP-OFF AND PICK UP ZONE

• To utilize the Drop-Off Zone, your child must be able to open and close his/her car door. Once your child is out of the car, please keep moving. If you feel you need to watch your child enter the building, then the Drop-Off convenience is not for you. Please park your car and walk your child to the building.

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Rewarding and fun for children and adults interested in classical and popular music.

762-6601

• DO NOT make a U-turn or a three point turn right in front of Ł the Annex. You may safely turn around at the street just past the Annex.

• DO NOT allow your child to leave your vehicle on the driver’s side.

• DO NOT double park and let your child walk between parked cars.

• DO NOT park in the Drop-Off Zone.

Beginning, intermediate and advanced.

25 years experience.

Complimentary trial lesson.

Call Wendy Goldstein.

973-762-6601

• DO NOT park on the street opposite the Annex. The buses will Ł not be able to get by you.

RULES FOR THE PICK-UP LINE AT 3:15 pm

• You may not park in the Pick-Up Zone before 3:15pm. You may Ł not double park just before the Pick-Up Zone and wait. If you are early, please wait on Hoskier until 3:15. At 3:15, you may pull into the Pick-Up Zone. Do not get out of your car. Your child must enter the car from the sidewalk, and be able to Ł close his/her own car door. As soon as the child’s seatbelt is on, you must immediately leave the Pick-Up Zone. This will allow other cars to enter the zone.

M A P L E W O O D G R E E N D AY I I

GREAT FAMILY DAY !

MAPLEWOOD’S SECOND ANNUAL GREEN FAIR

• If your child is not standing at the zone, when you pull up, you cannot wait in the zone. You must exit and turn around, go back down Glenview, pass the school and turn then back onto the school side of Glenview. If you are planning on using the Pick-Up Zone during the year, please discuss this with your child so he/she will know to look for you there.

Saturday, October 11, 11am - 4pm Maplewood Memorial Park

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: KIDS! 40’ ROCKWALL! PETTING ZOO,KID’S BAND, FACE PAINTING, FUN GREEN GAMES, WIND & WATER POWER, CRAFTS, STORYTELLERS, COOL FOOD ACTIVITIES LIKE SOLAR PIZZA & MORE!

PARENTS! WORKSHOPS ON YOGA, COMPOSTING, LOW-IMPACT LANDSCAPING, COOKING CLASSES, GREEN CONSTRUCTION, WHY ORGANIC?, TEST DRIVE HYBRID VEHICLES, GREAT SHOPPING WITH GREEN VENDORS, INFORMATIVE BOOTHS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES & MORE!

• Parents waiting for the shuttle bus may not pull into the Ł Pick-Up Zone until 3:25pm or until all of the Annex students Ł have been picked up.

FIRST 200 GREEN GUESTS TO ARRIVE RECEIVE A FREE TREE COURTESY OF SAVE A LAWN!

ABSOLUTELY NO PARKING IN THE YELLOW LINED AREA. Please be considerate of others and keep our children safe.

Raindate: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12

Green Day Sponsors: CADWALADER, Ideal Jacobs Corp., Maplewood Township Committee and Save A Lawn

For more info & a list of scheduled activities:

www.MaplewoodGreenDay.org

www.southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us

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ZOKUSALON.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 )

see what you’re missing.

201.259.8426

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

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

chatham brick asbury park for all your audio, video and home theater solutions, www.pureavs.com

CS M ART

pure AVS intelligence for universal remotes, audio/video system upgrades & iPod integration

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mind – body – health – fitness

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NEW CHATHAM LOCATION • 201 - 486 - 5899 • CARYN @ CSM - ART.COM

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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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elementary school newsletter

Organizational Skills for School and Beyond

Day of the Dead Art in a Box The Day of the Dead is a holiday that focuses on remembering loved ones who have died. Throughout the entire month of October, children can create their own Dia de los Muertes decoration using all sorts of craft materials, jewels and even everyday objects. The decorations will adorn the Hilton library during October

Tuesday, October 14 7:30pm at Hilton Branch

When you get a library card from your home library, you can also ask for a Student Sticker, which allows you to borrow in both towns.

If you already have a card, you’ll need to pay any existing fines before you can get a Sticker. You can get your Student Sticker at any time throughout the year. Each library has its own rules as to what materials you can borrow, and you must use your own card.

Do your children have a hard time getting organized?

Is it preventing them from reaching their highest potential?

Michael A. Koffman, Ph.D. Clinical Neuropsychologist, will help you teach your children timemanagement skills that will lead to a more self-sufficient school year and a more organized lives!

Dr. Koffman specializes in assessing cognitive/academic, behavioral, and emotional problems.

Bingo Bonanza Grades 1-5 • PRIZES!!!!

Hilton Branch: Thursdays 4-5pm • Oct 16, Oct 23, Oct 30

Computer Games Saturday Ages 8-12 Hilton Branch: Saturdays 12-12:45pm • Oct 4, 11, and 18

Special Needs Storytime: All ages (with participating adult) Main Library: Thursday ,October 23, 7-7:30pm Stories and activities for children with special needs.

more

classes at the adult school

The Adult School is providing opportunities for parents and their elementary-age children to take classes together this fall in science and the creative and culinary arts.

Middle School. Cohen is a science educator at Liberty Science Center and retired CHS biology teacher. The cost is $20 and includes materials.

Parents and kids will tie on aprons on Saturday, Nov. 8 and learn to create cupcakes perfect for celebrations and everyday treats in “Sprinkles and Beyond.” Tammye Jones, founder of Carolina Cakes, will demonstrate piping and provide simple tips and ideas to decorate cakes and cupcakes at home.

You’ll practice in class with homemade cupcakes. Each family will take home an apron, six cupcakes, and a practice kit and board with pattern sheets. For children in Grades K-6, it will be 1011:30am at Columbia High School. The cost is $32 and includes all materials.

“Mosaics as Family Fun” is being offered on Saturdays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1. Families will design tiles and create a tray with hand-painted tile inserts. Mosaic artist and ceramics teacher Joan Tamasco will lead this class. For children in Grades K-5, it will be 10am to 12pm at Columbia High School. The cost is $40, plus a materials fee to be collected by the teacher.

“Cool Science for Curious Kids” will meet Thursday, Nov. 6 with the Adult School’s own Science Guy Rich Cohen, director of the Community Summer Program. Cohen will lead a fun hands-on exploration on low-tech ways to make the world a better place. For children in Grades 1-5, the class will be 7-8pm at South Orange

To learn more or register, call the Adult School, (973) 378-7620 or visit its Web site, www.somadultschool.org

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Hilton Branch Parenting Series

oct 2008

New! Two Towns Library Card “Student Stickers” If you are a K-12 student in the SOMA school district, you are entitled to borrow materials from both the Maplewood and South Orange Public Libraries.

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Dr. Michael Koffman is a fellowshiptrained Clinical Neuropsychologist in private practice. He specializes in assessing cognitive/academic, behavioral, and emotional problems in children, adolescents and adults.

His areas of expertise include ADHD, learning disabilities, memory, and organizational issues.

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