Thomas Jefferson School Newsletter February 2025

Thomas Jefferson School

February 2025

To Our Thomas Jefferson School Families,

February has been a fantastic month here at Thomas Jefferson School! Students and staff enjoyed the mid-winter break, the highly successful winter sports season came to a close, club volleyball occurred before and after school, we held a school-wide “Back to the 60’s” dance, students have been working diligently on our upcoming school play, and they engaged in many dynamic learning activities.

Back to the 60’s Dance-Students enjoyed the Outsider’s themed school wide dance on 2/28. The “Welcome Back to the 60s,” dance was a culminating Authentic Performance Task to wrap up the 8th grade novel study of The Outsiders and their decade study in History. By definition an authentic performance task is an alternative assessment given to students - designed to assess their ability to apply standards-driven knowledge and skills to real world challenges. Therefore, students are given the task of pitching, planning, executing, reflecting, and revising a full school event. In this endeavor students created digital media as a means of advertising - they communicated, pitched, planned, all aspects of security working with Officer Haigh. Students in each grade level learned group dances reminiscent of the 60s in PE classes to ensure exposure before the night of the dance. They created all decorations using colors and patterns of the time period. The students also worked on communication and writing skills through daily announcements. Our 8th graders conducted interviews the night of the dance and wrote an article for the school paper. Finally, they visited classrooms prior to the dance to teach about the 60s through research done in class.

Upcoming Events

Read Across America Week will be celebrated March 3-7. All TJ students will visit Lincoln School on the morning of 3/3 to read to students.
Spring Parent Conference Days - March 5, 6, 7. These days will be half days with a 1:00 PM dismissal. These conferences are designed to discuss your child’s progress. Teachers will reach out to families to schedule a meeting if they see any potential concerns. Also, families are encouraged to communicate with teachers and schedule a meeting at any point in the school year to discuss their child.
TJ’s musical performance - Matilda will be performed on the following dates:
Friday, March 14th - 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 15th - 7:00 pm
Sunday, March 16th - 3:00 pm

Thank you all for partnering with our school and staff to benefit each child!

Leon Samuels

Principal

Nurses Corner

Reminder to all parents if your child has Asthma I will need an Asthma Action Plan and Inhaler, if your child has any food allergies and needs an EpiPen I will need doctors orders and the EpiPen sent in with your child. If your child needs any tylenol, advil, motrin or any other over the counter medications I will need a doctor's order and the medication must be in an unopened bottle brought in by an adult. Any daily medications also need a doctor's note and the medication must be brought in by an adult. All forms can be found on the Rockaway Borough website under Thomas Jefferson - look on left side of page you will see Forms & Links - click there and this will bring you to the forms - scroll down and you will find the following:

EpiPen Permission Form

Asthma Action Plan

Medication Permission Form

These forms must be filled out by parents and the doctor and submitted with the medication to me.

If a student wants cough drops during the school day - I will need a parent note and cough drops need to be left in the nurse's office.

If a student is injured either at school or at home and needs crutches, a walking boot or slings for the upper extremities I will need a doctor's note and they must be cleared prior to returning to PE/recess or sports.

Remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day, please make sure your child eats breakfast prior to coming to school.

Last but not least if your child is not feeling well, please do not send them to school. If a child has a temperature of 100.0 they must be kept home for 24 hours and must be fever free for 24 hours. If your child vomits during the night they must be kept home for 24 hours with no vomiting.

If you need to reach me - the best way is email: lsavercool@rockboro.org or office # is 973-625-8603 x 305.

Thank you,

Mrs. Savercool

From Miss Selikoff....

https://students.arbitersports.com/programs/2024-2025-winter-2-clubs-volleyball-club-morning-movement

Link to sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCyncRAvCD7taJk1gmO6BlHafHV9vGOrdzto_8lmFpT6rAJA/viewform?usp=sf_link

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScUgA6vDdf8jcgylwsCZW4LDsJmmZPNMm75-pDXTsQiGEx-3g/viewform?usp=header

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeR7IUsLFZTSb9XfardaC76hyyQPovSfSa43KtiAMlL5nvtRQ/viewform?usp=dialog

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5svs9ujvUlALmhgcvmnWC4xnjnwQr527JQmdxofgA51RqHA/viewform?usp=dialog

From Mrs. Love and Mr. Bova...

If you would like to support our upcoming TJ Players production which is running the weekend of March 14, 15 and 16, 2025, please consider placing an ad in our program.

7th & 8th Graders-MHHS Band

You are eligible and invited to join the Morris Hills High School Marching Band for their next season.

If you are interested and/or planning on joining the 2025 MH Marching Scarlet Knights Marching Band, here’s some information for you:

THE SHOW:

The marching band staff and I are working on our 2025 show selection, and will make an official announcement as soon as we've confirmed everything! Our membership (as in who plays certain instruments or signs up for the color guard) dictates what type of show that we program, so please sign up to partake in a positively life-changing experience!

THE SCHEDULE:

While I'm waiting on information from the school and our competition organization to will help finalize the schedule, here's what I can share:

Summer Practices - one evening a week starting in July (color guard members may have some additional practices as scheduled by Mrs. Moreno, our color guard director)
Band Camp - August 4th through 8th at Morris Hills
Two evening practices a week (we have to practice in the evening due to facility limitations) starting at the end of August, wrapping up at the end of October/first week of November. These practices are typically on Tuesdays and Thursdays, although adjustments may need to be made based on the master school calendar.
Occasional Friday evening football games
Saturday competitions and football games in September and October (possibly the first weekend in November)
Possibly ONE Sunday competition (for a championships performance)

*For note: high school sports teams typically operate, between practices and games/matches/meets, over 6 or 7 days a week throughout the fall. (I know this firsthand, as my oldest son was an athlete at MH!) The marching band meets 3 or 4 times a week!

HOW TO JOIN:

Here is the link to sign-up, and feel free to share this link with anyone you think would be interested: 2025-2026 MHMB Sign-Up Form

There is no experience necessary, and we can use members in all sections! Anyone in 8th through 12th grades is able to join, keeping in mind that any 8th grader interested must live in Wharton, Rockaway Township and/or Borough, or Denville.

BEHIND THE SCENES:

Here is a link to a GREAT video put together by one of our outstanding band parents, showing past season highlights and “behind the scenes”: https://www.dropbox.com/s/g84r78sgfeeaz45/Final.mov?dl=0

Lastly, I’d like to share with potential new members (and their parents/guardians) a great article: 10 Lessons Your Child Will Learn in Marching Band. It’s a quick and informative read!

As we're coming off one of our most successful seasons in about a decade, as well as our largest group in at least 15 years, it goes without saying that this is an INCREDIBLY EXCITING time to be part of one of the most successful and storied programs in the state!!!!!!

Please reach out with any questions you may have!

Take care,

Mr. H.

--

RICHARD HARTSUIKER

Director of Bands

Morris Hills High School

973-664-2300

rhartsuiker@mhrd.org

https://morrishillsbands.com/

2024-2025 SCHOOL CALENDAR

From the HSA...

Rockaway Borough Home and School Association

Co-Presidents - Jaclyn Long & Kimberly Merrick

Treasurer - Danielle Wheelock

Corresponding Secretary- Irma Brainard

Recording Secretary - Sarah Langan

From the 8th Grade Parent Fundraising Committee...

LOCAL ACTIVITIES

Monthly Programs for March

March Programs at the Rockaway Borough Public Library

Please visit rblibrary.org or call 973-627-5709 to register.

TRIVIA NIGHT: 70s, 80s & 90s*

March 3 ~ 6:00pm. Adults 18 and up. *Registration required.

Show off your knowledge of music, sports, history, and more from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Dressing up is highly encouraged, so look through your closets for your favorite outfit from one of these decades!! Prizes will be given.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY CHIPOTLE FUNDRAISER

Tuesday, March 4 ~ 4:00-8:00pm

Order online for pickup using code F34X84M or show the flyer in the restaurant. 25% of sales will be donated to the Friends of the Library.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY MEETING

Monday, March 10 6:30pm

AFTERNOON ARTS & CRAFTS*

Wednesday, March 12 ~ 3:30pm. Ages 6-10. *Registration required.

This month we will be decorating masks with Ms. Geri.

TIME FOR TOTS*

Friday, March 14 ~ 11:00-11:45am. Ages 1-5. *Registration required.

LET'S DISH!*

Monday, March 17 ~ 1:30pm. Adults 18 and up. *Registration required.

We'll be sharing St. Pat's, Irish or green recipes.

SPRING STORYTIME & CRAFT w/Ms. GERI*

Tuesdays, March 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22 ~ 11:00am. Ages 2-5. *Weekly registration is required.

COLLAGE JOURNALING HOUR!*

Tuesday, March 18 ~ 4:00pm. Adults 18 and up. *Registration required.

Relax while working on creating a new page for your journal using our supplies or your own.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING

March 19 7:00pm. Adults 18+

KNIT AND CROCHET GROUP

Thursday, March 20 ~ 11:00am-12:30pm. Adults 18 and up.

AFTER SCHOOL GAME CLUB*

Thursday, March 20 ~ 3:30pm-4:30pm. Ages 8-18. *Registration required.

MY FIRST BOOK CLUB*

Friday, March 21 ~ 3:30pm. Grades 1-3. *Registration required.

This month, we're reading “The Infamous Ratsos” by Kara LaReau, a 2017 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book! Get ready for a fun gathering where we'll chat about the book, play a group game, solve a word scramble, and enjoy a snack fit for a Ratso.

CLOTHESPIN CARROTS PLAQUE*

Monday, March 24 ~ 6:30pm. Adults 18 and up. *Registration required.

Make carrots made from clothespins to decorate your home for Spring.

BOOK LOVERS MEETING*

Wednesday, March 26 ~ 6:30pm-7:30pm. Adults 18 and up. *Registration required.

Reserve a copy of “Win” by Harlan Coben and participate in a discussion about the book at the meeting.

SPRING CRAFT SATURDAY*

March 29 ~ 11:00am. Ages 3-10. *Registration required.

Join us to create your own Paper Plate Mushroom Fairy Houses and Paper Plate & Paint Snails!

"WHAT'S IT WORTH?" ANTIQUES ROAD SHOW*

Monday, March 31 ~ 6:00pm. Adults 18+. *Registration required.

Author, Auctioneer, Appraiser and Radio show Host Mike Ivankovich will introduce you to “What Determines Value"…and reveal what your Antiques, Collectibles, and Personal Treasures are really worth today. Each attendee is invited to bring in 1-2 items for Mike to appraise.

Melissa Okerblom

Library Director

Rockaway Borough Public Library

82 East Main St

Rockaway, NJ 07866

973-627-5709

http://www.rblibrary.org/