Superintendent's Update

In January, the MUJC had its first snow day of the school year. We will send out the revised 2023 - 2024 school calendar and post it on the website after it is Board approved at the February 8, 2024 MUJC Board of Education meeting.

It’s hard to believe that we are already planning for the Extended School Year (“ESY”) program for 2024. This year ESY starts on Wednesday, June 26, for students and ends on Wednesday, August 7. The DLCs will be closed on July 4, 2024. Our ESY program includes 30 school days and the school hours are 8:45 a.m. until 2:15 p.m. Your child will have therapies, academics pursuant to their IEP, and a wonderful mix of recreational and other forms of summer activities. If you have any questions about ESY, please contact your child’s principal.

ERI Program Closure

The Emotional Regulation Impairment (“ERI”) Program at the DLC - Warren will be closing at the end of the 2023 – 2024 school year. The reason for the closure of the ERI Program is the inability of our program to provide typical peer models for our ERI students and social experiences that students would receive in a less restrictive environment, the difficulty in providing subject matter teachers across all content areas, and insufficient enrollment. This closure of the ERI Program only affects students in the ERI Program and all other programs located at the DLC - Warren will continue.

While we are saddened to close our program, we are pleased with the progress our students have realized in the program due to the amazing efforts of our ERI Program staff. We know our students’ growth will continue in future years.

We have notified the staff in our ERI Program, the parents of students in our ERI Program, and the Directors of Special Services and Case Managers of our students in the ERI Program of the program’s closure at the end of the 2023 – 2024 school year. Administration and staff will work with the districts of our students to ensure a smooth transition. Staff will also be working with our students to provide meaningful closure. 

Thank you again for your support of our ERI Program and a huge “shout out” to all the incredible staff in our ERI Program! 

2023 - 2024 Calendar

The 2024 – 2025 and the 2024 ESY calendars were approved at the Morris-Union Jointure Commission (“MUJC”) Board of Education meeting held on January 11, 2024. To view the 2024 - 2025 DLC school calendar, please click here and to view the 2024 DLC ESY calendar, click here.

What’s Happening at the DLCs

Black History Month Celebrated by the DLCs

During Black History Month, DLC - New Providence classes will research a famous African American and design a poster to be displayed and shared with other classes. Students will also be learning about Kara Walker, a famous Black artist, and will create silhouettes in art. Students will learn music and performances, highlighting African American musicians. 

DLC - Warren also has special projects planned for Black History Month. Led by DLC - Warren’s Speech/Language Specialists in collaboration with classroom staff, DLC - Warren will also be celebrating Black History Month by creating posters of famous historical figures and significant events.

School Spirit Day, Tuesday, February 6

Show your school spirit by wearing your favorite DLC spirit wear or by wearing blue on Tuesday, February 6! 

Maud Dahme’s Visit to the DLCs Rescheduled for February 12 at 10:00 a.m.

Due to the snow day on the originally scheduled date, Maud Dahme, a Holocaust survivor, who serves on the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education and is a former New Jersey State Board of Education President and New Jersey Hall of Fame inductee, will meet with DLC students in Warren on Monday, February 12, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.. Ms. Dahme will bring her message of resilience and kindness as she presents stories about the courage and generosity of people in times of great need. Ms. Dahme has been a guest speaker for DLC students several times in past years and she was the MUJC’s 2023 Convocation speaker for staff. Ms. Dahme will speak before some classes from both DLC - New Providence and DLC - Warren.

February is Heart Healthy Month 

To help celebrate Heart Healthy Month, on Friday, February 2, we will talk about healthy foods and exercise in class and APE in DLC - New Providence. Students are encouraged to wear red!

National Random Acts of Kindness Day

During the week of February 12, DLC - New Providence students will be learning about kindness in social skills and creating random acts of kindness they can do for their friends, family, and teachers. 

100 Days of School

On February 15, we will have our 100 Days of School Celebration along with our Special Persons Day. Parents and special guests are invited and a schedule will be sent home to parents. The theme for our 100 Days of School Celebration is centered around Jack Hartmann, a popular children’s musician, who will be performing a virtual concert. All of Jack’s songs and videos engage children with not only great educational content but with cool beats kids love and fun movements. There will be fun activities scheduled including dancing, games, and a photo booth. This is sure to be an amazing day!

National Pet Day

DLC - New Providence will celebrate National Pet Day during the week of February 20. Students will learn lessons about pets throughout the week and our favorite Creature Comfort dog, Hunter, will visit during the week. Wear your favorite animal shirt on Tuesday, February 20!

DLC Warren

Promoting Kindness and Appreciation  

Throughout the month of February, the school psychologist and social workers will collaborate with students to foster kindness and appreciation on a school-wide project. View our social media sites to discover the creative ideas generated by the students.

Spread Kindness Dance

Promoting kindness and gratitude, DLC - Warren is organizing a "Spread Kindness Dance" on February 14th at 1:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. Parents are warmly welcomed to join the students in spreading joy and positivity. More information to follow in the EBB. 

First Responders’ Volleyball Game  

On February 28th, the DLC - Warren students and staff will participate in a volleyball game with the Warren Fire Department and the Warren Rescue Squad during our field day.  Be sure to see the pictures on our social media sites!

Climate Corner

DLC students from Warren and New Providence designed distinct avatars (logos) to symbolize their school year project. At DLC - Warren, the project is to enhance the presence of pollinator plants by planting common and swamp milkweed. This will increase the local population of pollinators, including bees and monarch butterflies.

Meanwhile, at DLC - New Providence, students will be enhancing their garden and expanding the garden boxes.

Travel Tips

Newark Airport offers a range of programs to provide support for individuals who may need special assistance. Within Terminal A, a sensory room is accessible at all times. If you require assistance, feel free to approach Customer Service Representatives who wear a light gray suit or uniform. Alternatively, you can contact the provided phone number or email address displayed outside the room. 

The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard is a special lanyard worn around an individual’s neck that serves as a signal to the airport community that an individual may need special assistance. These lanyards are available for pickup at the Welcome Centers located at all Newark Airport Terminals.

TSA Cares is a helpline that allows passengers to request assistance for navigating TSA screening. Additionally, TSA Cares can provide supplementary information about screening procedures relevant to individuals with disabilities and medical conditions. To request support, submit the form at least 72 hours prior to travel. The link to the form is below:

www.tsa.gov/contact-center/form/cares

Transition Talk

Live Assistance for People with Disabilities

The Department of Disability Services (DDS) Information and Referral Services Team  connects callers to live, professionally certified Community Resource Specialists specifically trained in disability services who:

• inform and educate about services available statewide,
• screen for appropriate services and supports,
• assist in navigating and connecting to programs and services based on individualized needs,
• attend disability-related community events and speaking engagements throughout the state, and
• work in partnership with some benefit programs such as NJ WorkAbility and Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS).

Nationally Certified Community Resource Specialists (CRS) are available during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, to provide information and assist with navigating state and county services available to individuals with disabilities. In addition to providing live assistance over the phone, Community Resource Specialists attend public events throughout the State to disseminate information and answer questions. All DDS Community Resource Specialists hold certifications from the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS), the internationally recognized professional credentialing program for community I & R providers. Certification consists of an initial exam and the completion of a minimum of 10 documented hours of continued training every two years.

Contact a DDS Community Resource Specialist at 1-888-285-3036 between 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday for more information.

Transition Talk Series 

The next transition talk series will be held virtually on February 22 at noon, led by Matt MacDougall and Raymon Colon, Transition Coordinators. The topic for the next series will concentrate on available resources for families. More information to follow in the EBB.  

Technology Tips

Digital Learning Day, celebrated annually on the last Thursday of February, is a day that sparks excitement among students and educators in the DLCs! This year it will be celebrated on February 29th. It's not just a day to commemorate technological advancements in education but also an opportunity to explore creative ways to enhance learning experiences at school. In today's digital age, there are endless possibilities for making learning fun and interactive within our classrooms! 

Imagine a Digital Learning Day where students embark on virtual adventures, exploring ancient civilizations through immersive Virtual Reality (“VR”) experiences. Students will participate in various activities throughout the school day and try so many new things! 

Digital Learning Day is a reminder that technology is a powerful tool for bridging educational gaps and bringing quality education to all. Let us celebrate Digital Learning Day at school by exploring new ways to ignite the spark of curiosity, knowledge, and creativity in our students, while appreciating the incredible strides we have made in the realm of digital education.

Winter Weather

This is a reminder to parents about our inclement weather procedures. You will receive a telephone call, text message, and/or email via School Messenger by approximately 6:30 a.m. if the DLC is closed due to inclement weather or if there is a 2 hour delayed opening. If we have an early dismissal at 12:45 p.m., you will receive a telephone call, text, and/or email via School Messenger by 11:00 a.m. The DLC notifies all bus companies of our closings, delayed openings, and early dismissals. Based on the weather forecast, you may be notified the night before or you may receive additional information that changes a delayed opening to a school closure in the morning. The safety of our students and staff is always our primary concern. Please rely on the information provided to you by the MUJC via School Messenger, our website at www.mujc.org, or MUJC’s social media to determine if the MUJC has delayed opening, early dismissal or DLC closure. Please do not rely on information provided by your child’s bus driver. Each year several students are transported to the DLC when school has been delayed or closed because information was incorrectly provided by the bus driver to the parents. This results in much confusion for the families and potentially hazardous road conditions for the child. If your child is transported to school at the regular arrival time when there is a 2 hour delayed opening, there will be no staff at school to meet your child which will result in an extended time your child must remain on the school bus. It is very important that you only rely on the information provided by the MUJC via our website, our social media, or School Messenger phone calls, text messages, and/or emails regarding school closures, delayed openings or early closings.

Please ensure that you have updated your contact information (home telephone number, cell telephone number, and email address) if there have been any changes. This can be done via the MUJC website (www.mujc.org) by clicking on the “Parent” tab at the top, logging into your parent portal, continuing to the contact information section and making your changes. Our school closings and delays are also displayed prominently on our website, Facebook, and Twitter as well as on the voicemail message at the MUJC Central Office number, which is 908-464-7625, or at the telephone numbers of the Developmental Learning Center sites (DLC – New Providence: 908-508-1345; DLC – Warren: 908-762-5600) as well as NBC News Channel 4.

Reminders

February 9, 2024 – Early Dismissal at 12:45 p.m. for students. Staff Inservice.

February 19, 2024 – Schools Closed. Mid-Winter Recess.

See you in March when Spring will be around the corner! 

Dr. Janet L. Fike

Superintendent

Morris-Union Jointure Commission

Website